Congressman Lee Terry

WASHINGTON–

Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE) released the following statement in response to today's launch of the "We're Not Buying It" campaign, endorsing the recent government-proposed ban on marketing "junk food" to youth.

"These poorly-considered guidelines, if enforced, would prohibit the advertising of American favorites like Cheerios, Barnum's Animal Crackers, and both celery and bottled water - amongst other questionable choices."

"Children do not have the final say regarding what makes it into the grocery basket and onto their dinner plates. This campaign has only grown what was a misguided effort to begin with."

"We do not want our government telling us what we can and can't eat. We do not want our country to become a nanny state," Terry said.

The advertising guidelines, crafted by the Interagency Working Group (IWG), and endorsed by the campaign will be evaluated on October 12, 2011, in the "Food Marketing: Can 'Voluntary' Government Restrictions Improve Children's Health?" joint hearing to be held by the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade and the Subcommittee on Health.